
Weather Watch Continues But Rainfall Lower Than Expected
'We remain vigilant and prepared should there be any further impacts,' Mr Faulls said. 'This rain was predicted to hit us harder than what has eventuated but that is a good result for us.'
A slip on Northbank Road is being assessed and a decision will be made by Marlborough Roads engineers tomorrow morning whether the road can be opened temporarily to allow residents access. There are 97 properties and about 250 people living beyond the slip site.
The Ministry for Primary Industries and Rural Support Trust are working with landowners and farmers to assess impacts. Farmers and growers who require support are encouraged to contact the Rural Support Trust on 0800 787 254.
Marlborough Emergency Management will continue to monitor the situation today. The Orange Heavy Rain Warning is in place until 7pm. Further updates will be provided as information comes to hand.
Unless the situation changes, this will be the last update for today.
For preparedness advice go to: https://getready.govt.nz/emergency/floods If you or someone else is in immediate danger, call 111.
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Scoop
01-08-2025
- Scoop
Repairs Continue On Marlborough's Roads
Press Release – Marlborough District Council Marlborough Roads System Manager Wayne Oldfield said the initial event, which started on 27 June, saw more than 40 roads closed due to flooding and damage. During and following the weather events of late June/early July Marlborough Roads crews have been out in force across the network. Marlborough Roads' System Manager Wayne Oldfield said the initial event, which started on 27 June, saw more than 40 roads closed due to flooding and damage. 'In the days and weeks that have followed, our focus has been to regain access for communities as well as inspect roads to understand the scale of damage, as we prepare to move into the recovery phase,' Mr Oldfield said. 'We always try to strike a balance between going as quickly as possible to clear slips and repair damage versus ensuring communities and industry have some access wherever possible to essential services and amenities.' SH63 sustained major damage at the start of the event at Waihopai Bridge and Andersons Floodway, cutting off Wairau Valley township. 'Multiple crews worked through the weekend to create a temporary bypass route for residents and essential travel. Although the road has access to all vehicles, it remains heavily damaged and extreme caution is advised around work sites,' he said. On local roads damage was spread across the region from Awatere in the south to the French Pass to the north. Northbank and Port Underwood roads were hit particularly hard. On Northbank Road, 2km from the start of the road, a slip estimated to be around 3,000m3 came down, closing the road. 'To regain emergency access, a temporary road was built over slip material. Crews then worked to create a bench so that loose material would be caught, so the road could be opened overnight. Crews continue to work to clear the slip from the top, some 30m above the ground.' Engineers estimate that 20,000m3 of material will need to be removed from the site. Further along Northbank Road and its side roads, works have been undertaken on slip and tree clearance, pavement repairs, and rock armouring and temporary bridge repairs on both Top Valley and Noels bridges. Mr Oldfield said Port Underwood Road was closed due to significant damage from slips, fallen trees and dropouts and up to four crews at once have been working to clear access. This was achieved between Waikawa and Oyster Bay on 28 June. Works remain underway to re-open the road and enable the heavy vehicle restriction to be lifted between Tumbledown Road to Oyster Bay. 'In the Sounds, a large slip on Queen Charlotte Drive near Momorangi closed the road for three days. Kenepuru Road and Moetapu Bay Road also suffered slips, fallen trees and dropouts, as did the French Pass and Pelorus areas. Crews restored access quickly and planned Marlborough Roads Recovery works have continued,' Mr Oldfield said. He acknowledged the ongoing support of affected communities and recognised the impact these weather events had on their day to day. 'We also appreciate the support shown to our contractors and staff. These crews are working hard to get roads restored. We are responsible for their safety and wellbeing and respect and courtesy, both for them and the traffic management measures put in place for your safety, is appreciated,' Mr Oldfield said. For information on road closures visit the CDEM map on Council's website. Notifications on changes to road status are available on the Council website, Facebook page and Antenno app.


Scoop
31-07-2025
- Scoop
Repairs Continue On Marlborough's Roads
During and following the weather events of late June/early July Marlborough Roads crews have been out in force across the network. Marlborough Roads' System Manager Wayne Oldfield said the initial event, which started on 27 June, saw more than 40 roads closed due to flooding and damage. 'In the days and weeks that have followed, our focus has been to regain access for communities as well as inspect roads to understand the scale of damage, as we prepare to move into the recovery phase,' Mr Oldfield said. 'We always try to strike a balance between going as quickly as possible to clear slips and repair damage versus ensuring communities and industry have some access wherever possible to essential services and amenities.' SH63 sustained major damage at the start of the event at Waihopai Bridge and Andersons Floodway, cutting off Wairau Valley township. 'Multiple crews worked through the weekend to create a temporary bypass route for residents and essential travel. Although the road has access to all vehicles, it remains heavily damaged and extreme caution is advised around work sites,' he said. On local roads damage was spread across the region from Awatere in the south to the French Pass to the north. Northbank and Port Underwood roads were hit particularly hard. On Northbank Road, 2km from the start of the road, a slip estimated to be around 3,000m3 came down, closing the road. 'To regain emergency access, a temporary road was built over slip material. Crews then worked to create a bench so that loose material would be caught, so the road could be opened overnight. Crews continue to work to clear the slip from the top, some 30m above the ground.' Engineers estimate that 20,000m3 of material will need to be removed from the site. Further along Northbank Road and its side roads, works have been undertaken on slip and tree clearance, pavement repairs, and rock armouring and temporary bridge repairs on both Top Valley and Noels bridges. Mr Oldfield said Port Underwood Road was closed due to significant damage from slips, fallen trees and dropouts and up to four crews at once have been working to clear access. This was achieved between Waikawa and Oyster Bay on 28 June. Works remain underway to re-open the road and enable the heavy vehicle restriction to be lifted between Tumbledown Road to Oyster Bay. 'In the Sounds, a large slip on Queen Charlotte Drive near Momorangi closed the road for three days. Kenepuru Road and Moetapu Bay Road also suffered slips, fallen trees and dropouts, as did the French Pass and Pelorus areas. Crews restored access quickly and planned Marlborough Roads Recovery works have continued,' Mr Oldfield said. He acknowledged the ongoing support of affected communities and recognised the impact these weather events had on their day to day. 'We also appreciate the support shown to our contractors and staff. These crews are working hard to get roads restored. We are responsible for their safety and wellbeing and respect and courtesy, both for them and the traffic management measures put in place for your safety, is appreciated,' Mr Oldfield said. For information on road closures visit the CDEM map on Council's website. Notifications on changes to road status are available on the Council website, Facebook page and Antenno app.


Otago Daily Times
29-07-2025
- Otago Daily Times
Mental health support needed for flood victims: advocate
People in the Tasman region will need long-term mental health support after devastating winter floods, a mental health advocate says. Locals have endured two flood emergencies and repeated orange heavy rain warnings in recent weeks. The Nelson Tasman region is again under a heavy rain warning until at least 10pm today. Nelson Tasman Emergency Management duty group controller Rob Smith told RNZ's Checkpoint programme today that residents are tired, and the current weather system would typically not be one to worry about if it were not for the previous flood damage. The Rural Support Trust says many already flood-affected residents were also feeling very anxious as more heavy rain fell. Mental Health Foundation chief executive Shaun Robinson says when disaster strikes, people were usually in a more practical mode, adrenaline pumping, and doing what they needed to do to respond. It was the aftermath that could leave some people feeling depressed, hopeless or isolated - a natural human response to a very difficult situation, he said. "It's then when you have to look at the aftermath and the fact that things are not going to go back to the way they were, that can be really difficult and that's when it can really start to affect people's mental health and well-being. "People need to really create a new sense of what living in that place is going to be about." Robinson described what was happening in Tasman as an "ongoing natural disaster" rather than separate floods. Community connections made a big difference. "What we've seen and what farmers and rural people have told us from the Cyclone Gabrielle experience [in 2023], was that it was communities continuing to work together that made the difference to them continuing to have hope and a sense of not being alone in this, and therefore boosting their resilience and mental well-being," he said. The government also needed to look at what support it provided, not only offering counselling, Robinson said. "Whatever communities do and whatever government does to respond to a situation like Tasman, really needs to be boosting those community networks, those community responses to this ongoing crisis. "It is the months and even years after these major events that we need to encourage that sense of community resilience and actually put some work into creating and sustaining that community resilience. "That is certainly what the government is responsible for resourcing as part of its response to natural disasters." It was important that communities felt supported and did not feel like the country had forgotten them, he believed. Robinson hoped people would feel comfortable to reach out and ask for support if they needed it. Rural Support Trust Nelson Tasman chair Richard Kempthorne said people were getting tired after heavy rain has battered the region multiple times within the space of weeks. "It certainly takes a toll on people. Many of these people who've lived in the area for years and they've lived on their properties for years and they've had flooding before. But very few people have had a flood to this extent." Many people in the Motueka and Wai-iti valleys relied on their business in the area for income so flooding also threatened their livelihoods, he said. "During the flood event, it will just be step back and let it happen. Once it drops, what's the damage left and then what can we do? "What we encourage and what people I think are actually quite good at is to chopping it down into - what do I need to do first and what are the steps I need to take? Not trying to do it all at once and just bite one chunk off at a time." Kempthorne said people should reach out for help as there was support available. That included Taskforce Green which was going onto farms to clear debris, Big Bake in Wakefield which was preparing food for rural communities, Federated Farmers, and the Rural Support Trust which offered counselling support.